The Massachusetts Gaming Commission will allow MGM Springfield to change images every 8 seconds on its parking garage sign facing Interstate 91, but will not allow animated, moving images due to concerns about distracted drivers.1h ago

Penn Jillette, the Greenfield native and larger half of the magic duo Penn & Taller, says that Donald Trump made "racially insensitive' comments during the filming of "Celebrity Apprentice" in 2012, but he won't spill the beans.

Trump's conduct during the taping of "The Apprentice" reality TV series have come under renewed interest with the publication of the book " Unhinged ," by former "Apprentice" contestant and White House staffer Omarose Manigault-Newman.

Jillette said he was in the room when Trump, then a popular reality TV star, made inappropriate remarks.

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The study found that the number of urgent care clinics in Massachusetts increased from 18 in 2010 to 145 at the end of 2017.

"One key factor is patient demand... for convenient, timely access points for care," said David Seltz, executive director of the Health Policy Commission.

Urgent care clinics are places where patients can walk in and be seen for urgent conditions that do not require emergency room care -- things like a severe sore throat, respiratory or sinus infections, wounds, broken bones and ankle sprains.

SPRINGFIELD -- Lawyers for two city police officers charged with aggravated rape told a judge Tuesday they want their clients tried quickly.

Patrolmen Joshua Figueroa, 27, and Derrick Gentry-Mitchell, 28, both of Springfield -- who have each denied two counts of aggravated rape -- were in Hampden Superior Court for what was docketed as a pretrial hearing.

Assistant District Attorney Melissa G. Doran said she wanted to postpone the pretrial hearing because she does not feel ready to select a trial date.

HARDWICK -- The town's annual Community Fair, recognized as the oldest one in the country, will take place Friday and Saturday on the Town Common on Route 32A at the Junction of Greenwich and Barre roads.

This year's fair is the 256th and is dedicated to a retired dairy farmer, Jeanne Hanson, who used to milk cows at the Goddard Road homestead, where she was co-owner of Hanson and Roberts Farm.

Food, entertainment, cattle judging, a tractor pull, and several contests including bragging rights for the best apple pie, home-brewed beer and horseshoe pitcher are among the potpourri.

Rob Gronkowski has built a bit of a reputation as a party-centric jock over the years, but there's no doubting that the New England Patriots tight end is head and shoulders above most NFL players when it comes to managing his finances.

While Gronkowski is in the middle of a six-year, $54 million contract he signed back in June 2012, the 29-year-old All-Pro has actually never spent any of his NFL earnings so far -- opting instead to use all of the cash he's accumulated from multiple endorsement deals.

While he's still saving up for bigger and better things, Gronkowski told Maverick Carter on Uninterrupted's latest episode of "Kneading Dough" that he still hasn't touched any of the money he's received from the Patriots.

If the Philadelphia Eagles' upcoming visit to Gillette Stadium for a preseason game Thursday isn't reminder enough of their Super Bowl triumph over the New England Patriots, there's now a billboard on Route 1 to tell everyone who drives by.

Gina Lewis, a Massachusetts resident and the self-proclaimed "biggest Eagles fan alive," paid for an electronic billboard with illustrations of Eagles players that reads: "GO BIRDS" and "WORLD CHAMPS!"

Lewis paid for the billboard herself, using funds from a Patriot-fan friend and GoFundMe.

In the brief press conference, which was streamed live by NBC Boston Gross was asked if he felt judges are being too lenient in sentencing people charged in "senseless acts of violence." He said: "yes."5h ago

A study by British and American researchers has found that atomizing the liquid of electronic cigarettes may result in a more toxic effect on cells that protect the respiratory system from infection.1h ago

A study by British and American researchers has found that atomizing the liquid of electronic cigarettes - something known as vaping - may result in a more toxic effect on cells that protect the respiratory system from infection.

The research, published in the Journal Thorax, compared the effect of unvaped e-cigarette liquid to e-cigarette vapor condensate with and without nicotine on the function of cells regarded as primary defenders against bacteria, allergens and toxins in the lung's air spaces.

While both impacted these cells viability, the study found the vapor to be "significantly more toxic" to them than the non-vaped liquid.

SPRINGFIELD -- Lawyers for three Bronx men charged with trafficking 5.9 kilograms of heroin in Holyoke say police had no right to search the car in which the drugs were found.

The three lawyers told Hampden Superior Court Judge John S. Ferrara Monday there was no lawful reason for troopers to search the car shortly after midnight on July 11, 2017, on Interstate 391 in Holyoke.

Stone's testimony outlined the events of July 11, which he said began when he saw the car speeding and traveling in the left passing lane when there was no one else on the road.

BOSTON -- A judge has ruled that the identities of witnesses who spoke to Senate investigators about Bryon Hefner's alleged sexual misconduct can remain confidential.

Suffolk Superior Judge William Sullivan denied a request by Attorney General Maura Healey to provide prosecutors with the names and statements of people interviewed by investigators from the law firm Hogan Lovells.

Healey asked for the records as part of the criminal case against Hefner related to allegations that he sexually assaulted four men.

Become a hero at MindTrek VR in Marlborough and Woburn. These local VR arenas are so huge and so advanced that you'll think you're right there in the action. In fact, they're the largest VR facilities in the country.

Massa Collision Specialist Inc., called police to report a woman had driven her Chevrolet HHR into the parking lot at a high rate of speed, struck a tractor parked in the lot and then backed over auto parts placed on the ground, Valadas said.

"When you have that type of talent, they're going to have to learn to sacrifice," he told Boston.com at a back-to-school event he attended in Brookline.

Pierce, who played in Boston from 1998 to 2013 and is now an NBA analyst for ESPN, saw his numbers drop across the board when the Celtics traded for fellow future Hall of Famers Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen before the 2007-08 season, which resulted in the organization's most recent championship.

This season's Celtics, who are coming off a second consecutive trip to the Eastern Conference Finals, haven't taken the same route to collect talent, meshing young up-and-comers they discovered in the draft and All-Star veterans they acquired in trades or signings.

While members of the Patriots knelt for the national anthem prior to last season's matchup against the Houston Texans, Slater expects the Patriots to address the issue in a similar fashion to what they did in their preseason opener Thursday against the Redskins.

"As you saw during the preseason, the first preseason game, we all stood," Slater said.

"I think as a team we feel that is the best thing for us to do and I think you can look for more of that moving forward."

Boston Bruins training camp is still a few weeks away, but members of the Black and Gold made an appearance on the gridiron Tuesday afternoon during the New England Patriots' preseason practice.

Defensemen Charlie McAvoy and Matt Grzelcyk, along with forwards Ryan Donato and Chris Wagner were guests of the Patriots during Tuesday's practice at Gillette Stadium -- one of the last tune-ups before New England hosts the Philadelphia Eagles in its second preseason matchup.

While McAvoy hails from Long Island, he's spent most of his offseason training in Boston, while Grzelcyk (Charlestown), Donato (Scituate) and Wagner (Walpole) are all from the area -- and presumably, Patriots fans.

After an offseason of rampant rumors about rifts between coach Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, the New England Patriots quarterback praised his coach effusively on his first weekly WEEI radio interview of the 2018.

He's had a great track record over a long period of time," Brady said.

Brady wasn't asked about Alex Guerrero, his trainer and business partner.

BOSTON -- For a Red Sox team that looks like it has nothing to play for over the season's final seven weeks, the remaining schedule shows this upcoming stretch could be the most valuable of the season.

The Sox, who enter the week 50 games over .500 at 85-35, are about to embark on the toughest stretch of their schedule yet.

Out of the first 120 games they've played, only 35 (29.2%) have come against teams currently projected to make the playoffs.

After repeating as NECBL champions this summer, the Valley Blue Sox led all teams in the league with five total selections for the 2018 All-NECBL First and Second Teams, which were announced by Commissioner Sean McGrath Tuesday.

Leading the pack for the Blue Sox was Holyoke native and ace Endy Morales, who was named to the All-NECBL First Team as a starting pitcher.

Morales (SNHU) went 5-0 on the mound during the regular season, striking out 32 over 40 innings while posting a 1.12 ERA.

It documents his June 17 chartered trip with other veterans to the war memorials in the nation's Capital that Heidi Curboy of Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts helped coordinate for him through the Honor Flight Network.

The listener does not expect an answer of battles from the Western Massachusetts resident with a pleasant face and quick humor that saw him take part in some of the most difficult ground assaults on Japanese-occupied islands near Australia.

Guadalcanal, basically a 2,500-square-feet mass of jungle terrain in the Solomon Islands, was strategically important to both sides because of its location near Australia and American bases in the Pacific.